How do I select a quality child care program?

Give yourself enough time to visit different child care facilities to see which program best meets your  needs.

If you need child care right away, consider making temporary arrangements to allow yourself additional  time to visit programs.  

Make a list of things to consider such as: your issues and values, views of child rearing, the location, hours, holiday and vacation policies, as well as you family budget. Begin your child care search once you are clear about your child’s and your family’s needs.

Give yourself enough time to visit different child care facilities to see which program best meets your  needs.

If you need child care right away, consider making temporary arrangements to allow yourself additional  time to visit programs.  

 Make a list of things to consider such as: your issues and values, views of child rearing, the location, hours, holiday and vacation policies, as well as you family budget.
Begin your child care search once you are clear about your child’s and your family’s needs.

• Ask providers about their hours, level of training, vacancies and their adult/child ratio.

• Discuss how the children are divided and how the different groups interact.  For example, do different age groups come together on the playground?

• In a family care setting, ask about the ages of the other children that care is being provided for. 

• After contacting a provider by telephone, decide which of the programs you would like to visit.